On this page

1. National strategy

2. Media literacy and online safety through formal education

3. Promoting media literacy and online safety through non-formal and informal learning

4. Raising awareness about the risks posed by new media

National strategy

Media literacy education is aimed to be widespread within the scope of the National Children's Rights Strategy Document and Action Plan (2023-2028) published by the Ministry of Family and Social Services. 

The goal of promoting safe internet usage has been adopted in the Information Technologies and Communication Authority's Strategic Plan for 2019-2023.

In the National Youth and Sport Policy Document (Ulusal Gençlik ve Spor Politikası Belgesi), under the policy area of “Disadvantaged Youth and Social Inclusion”, the target on “increasing social awareness through media, social media, Internet and education institutions to prevent abuse of the youth” is included.

Media literacy and online safety through formal education

Within the context of Increasing Opportunities in Education and Improving Technology Movement (Eğitimde Fırsatları Artırma ve Teknolojiyi İyileştirme Hareketi (FATİH)) carried out under the coordination of the Innovation and Education Technologies General Directorate, works are carried out for secure use of the new media within the framework of conscious and secure Internet use component.  In the Education Information Network (EBA) portal, there are contents on media literacy and secure use of the new media. The work on improving these contents and increasing them in number is ongoing. In the teacher training performed within the scope of FATİH Project, works for the teachers to use information technologies effectively and efficiently by nature are carried out in practice; factors of secure and conscious use of the digital media are concentrated on in the training.

Online and face-to-face courses were held by the Ministry of National Education, Directorate General for Innovation and Educational Technologies in 2023 to enhance teachers' digital skills. A total of 46,893 teachers participated in 35 remote training activities and 680 teachers attended 17 face-to-face sessions. Thus, a total of 47,573 teachers were reached in 2023. The aim of these training sessions is to support teachers in consciously and safely utilizing technology effectively and widely in the classroom. Additionally, 40 remote training packages have been prepared to enhance teachers' digital competencies and they have been made available for use by 369,727 teachers, primarily including Information Technologies teachers in the National Education Information System.

Within the context of FATİH Project, the Innovation and Education Technologies General Directorate carries out works on promoting the project in practice directed at teachers and students especially in the domestic fairs and activities. In this context, the FATIH Project Educational Technologies Summit (FATIH ETS) was organized four times with international participation in Ankara between 2015 and 2018. In order to share the Ministry's exemplary activities in education and educational technologies, introduce its own projects, and guide new research directions, the summit was conducted as a scientific and academic educational activity that brought teachers, academics, students, private sector representatives, education technologists, NGO representatives, and decision-makers together. Türkiye Educational Technologies Summit (TETZ) is planned to be held with an extensive participation, in collaboration with social stakeholders and universities in Ankara or Istanbul in 2024.

The Ministry of National Education ensured taking of media literacy course in the primary education institutions as of 2007-2008 education year as an optional course and in this context, all works and processes with regard to the course are carried out in coordination with Head Council of Education and Morality and Basic Education General Directorate. In order to raise awareness in students on visual, audio and written media and to make them gain active, critical, constructive media culture, “Media Literacy” course is included in the Weekly Course Schedule of the Primary Education Institutions (Primary School and Secondary School) for 2 hours a week in the optional courses part for the 7 and 8th grades. In this way, Media Literacy course can be chosen by 7 and 8th grade secondary school students and is thought in 2 hours a week.

Promoting media literacy and online safety through non-formal and informal learning

Within the context of a cooperation protocol signed between Ministry of Education and Information and Communication Technologies Authority, as part of the MoE 2013 In-service Training Program (MEB 2013 Hizmet İçi Eğitim Planı), an education seminar was carried out on the "Fatih Project, BT and conscious, secure use of the Internet".  400 teachers and 160 education directors were provided training by trained formatter teachers in charge of the Fatih Project that were employed in 81 provinces.  Teachers who took part in the training trained more than 800.000 teachers in their province of residence on the conscious and secure use of the Internet. The goal of this training was to raise awareness on the conscious use of the Internet in all segments of society, particularly in students and parents. Moreover, the learning content was converted into online learning modules. As part of the awareness raising works, informative materials such as booklets, brochures, posters and like were prepared and to date, 6 million awareness raising documents were distributed free of charge.

To raise awareness on adult education, the General Directorate of Lifelong Learning conducted day-long seminars on “Secure use of Internet and Domestic Communication” in 81 provinces. A total of 9.388 adults attended these seminars; 10 thousand brochures were distributed.

Raising awareness about the risks posed by new media

The National Cybersecurity Strategy and Action Plan (2020-2023), prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure aims to advance the achievements obtained in previous efforts in the field of cybersecurity. The objectives include reducing the impact of cyber threats, enhancing national capabilities, establishing a more secure national cyber environment and positioning our country at the forefront of international cybersecurity standards. In this context: 

• Under the National Cybersecurity Capacity Building Program, efforts are underway to enhance the human resources of the Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT), increase preparedness for cyber incidents through activities such as training, camps and competitions aiming to cultivate the necessary workforce for Türkiye
• Within the Technological Measures Program, the development of rapid detection and early intervention systems such as AVCI, AZAD and KASIRGA utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities is ongoing.
• Threat intelligence acquisition, production and sharing program involves bilateral information sharing and coordination efforts with national and international stakeholders.
• The Critical Infrastructure Protection Program includes monitoring activities for the continuity of critical infrastructure services, vulnerability scanning efforts and regulatory and supervisory activities for information security.

The National Conference on New Media Studies (2015) was held as part of the National Scientific Activities Support Program (Yurtiçi Bilimsel Etkinlik Destekleme Programı) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK), drawing attention to risks that the usage of new media carries and a conference booklet was prepared on this issue.

The "Secure Life, Secure Internet and Social Media" protocol was signed between The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Interior, Information and Communication Technologies Authority and Internet Development Board. Within this scope, the Ministry of Youth and Sports held conferences and seminars in 15 provinces for youth on secure use of social media and problems new media can give rise to.